Stormy Daniels Details Alleged Encounter in Trump Hush Money Trial

Stormy Daniels testified at Donald Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday, recounting a sexual encounter she claims they had in 2006. Trump has denied the allegations, and his lawyers objected to Daniels' graphic testimony, demanding a mistrial. The judge rejected the request, and the defense later attempted to portray Daniels as motivated by personal animus and profit.

Daniels' statements are central to the case, as Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her $130,000 to keep quiet about the alleged encounter during the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty. Daniels described meeting Trump at a golf tournament and having a "brief" sexual encounter with him after he invited her to dinner and back to his hotel suite.

After the encounter, Daniels said Trump told her they should get together again, but she just wanted to leave. She later agreed to an interview for $15,000 when she learned a magazine had obtained her story. The story never ran, but she was alarmed when an item appeared on a website in 2011.

Daniels testified that she was in good financial shape when she authorized her manager to shop her story during the 2016 presidential campaign. She said her motivation was not money but getting the story out. However, defense lawyer Susan Necheles pressed Daniels on her financial situation and suggested she was trying to extort money from Trump.

Daniels is expected to return to the witness stand on Thursday when the trial resumes. Prosecutors are building toward their star witness, Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the hush money payments. Trump is charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the payments.